~Patterns In The Ivy~

As it is a new year at a new school everyone is still quite familiar with eachother. This year is the start of everyones life in Konoha High. On their way to the school Naruto & Sakura stop at a local pastry shop named " clair Akimichi ". Upon entering Naruto's eyes glow as he looks at the pastry store's vastness of small, large, skinny and wide pastries.

" Hey Guys! " Came a familiar voice from behind the counter. It's thier fleshy friend Choji Akimichi which is a school mate but also the owner of the store's son.

" Hey Choji. " Sakura said as Naruto is to busy oogling over the yummy food.

" Hey Choji let me talk to you for a second over here. " Sakura said beckoning him to her.

" Okay, what's up? " Choji asked.

" I was at Naruto's earlier and it looked like him and his dad don't like eachother. Do you know anything? " Sakura questioned in a light tone.

" No I didn't, sorry. As far as I know I didn't even know he had a dad. " Choji said lightly as he glanced at Naruto who is now standing there with his head down. Sakura glanced at Choji and then immediatly looked in Naruto's direction.

" You're right though, I have no dad. " Naruto said with a serious look upon his face.

Naruto slowly turned around and sulked out the door. Choji went to go run after him but Sakura stopped him.

" What're you doing? " Choji yelled.

" Choji, what could we possibly do to help him if we don't even know the situation. The only thing we can do now is just let him think. " Sakura said as if she has been practicing to say that before she even entered the store.

Choji's face gloomed

" You're right. Well tell me what you want and then we'll go pick up Shikamaru & Ino and go to school. I know you want to see Ino huh, Sakura? " Choji teased.

Sakura slapped him in the face and said " Shut up, Ugh!.. I want a raspberry jelly filled croissant. ".

" Yes ma'am. " Choji saluted as he ran into the kitchen. Sakura glances out of the stores window in worriment. ( I hope you'll be okay, Naruto. )

Naruto slowly walking down the sidewalk has many thoughts running through his head. He turns into a park which is shrouded in a thick fog and heads to the lake. Upon reaching the lake he goes to a bench and sits down to think and watch the ducks he can hardly see. While looking at the ducks he notices one has strayed from it's mother and the others. Naruto gets up from his seat and walks to the tiny duckling and picks it up.

" Hello little buddy. " Naruto says in a baby voice.

" Have you lost your mother? "

* Quack * responds the duck.

" Heh, It's like you understand me. Maybe because we are almost the same. So your name will be Gaku. " Naruto chuckles as he puts the duckling in the lake behind it's mom.

" So long Gaku! " Naruto smiles and waves.

He walks back to the bench and sits down with a certian feeling as if he is being watched.

" Come on out and sit down. I know you're out there. " Naruto yells.

He suddenly hears leafs crunch and twigs break. He feels someone sit next to him. As he pretends not to notice he begins to smell a calming petite aroma. He glances over to the woman who is sitting next to him. She is wearing a vanilla hat which the brim is lowered so you can't make out her eyes. Her hair was a lavender color and her skin was pale execpt for her cheeks which her bright red by now.

" Are you okay? " Naruto asked.

" Y-yes i'm fine. " The young lady responded in a very light and quiet voice.

Narto cocks his head and starts " Okay well, My name is.. "

"Naruto, I know. " The young woman interrupts.

Naruto jumps out of his seat, points and yells " Who are you lady!? "

She slowly takes off her hat and reveals her eyes and smiles.

"It's me Naruto. " She says.

Naruto bends down and examines her.

" Oh! Hinata! Hehe, Sorry I didn't notice it was you. " He says as he slowly sits down chuckling.

" It's okay, I-I wouldn't blame you i-if you forgot about me. " Hinata says sadly.

" Hinata. I could never forget you. So don't you ever say that it is okay for me to do such a thing, because that would mean i've failed as a friend. " Naruto says holding her hand.

Hinata blushes and tries to pull her hand away but this is what she wants so her arm stays where it is. They sit at the lake for a little while and the whole time, neither of them let go of their hands. Naruto looked at Hinata

" We'll be late for school if we don't go now. "

" Oh, I lost track of time. Let's go then. " Hinata said smiling as they both got up. At the entrance to the park Naruto looked back at Hinata who had fallen behind.

He held out his hand and said " C'mon I don't want you to get lost on the way there. "

Hinata's eyes lighted up light a kids on christmas. " O-Okay! " she said as she grabbed his hand and they walked to school together.

At Konoha High, and the rest of the crew is there waiting for Naruto and Hinata to arrive. Lee walks out from inside the school

" Guys the orientation bell just rang, lets go. " Lee says.

" No, it's not right for her to be late, she never is late. You think something happened to her? " Neji pleas.

" Just calm down i'm sure they'll be here any minute. " Tenten insists.

Kiba grabs his backpack from the ground, puts it on and says " You guys can wait out here as long as you want but i'm going inside before i get detention. " and heads inside the building.

Everyone looks at eachother and then looks down both sides of the sidewalk.

" Here they come. " Shino says so quietly that no one notices.

" Here they come! " Yells Neji.

Shino looks down " I just said that. "

Lee looks at Shino.

" You say something? " Lee questions.

Shino shakes his head no and they continue to the two.

" Why are you guys so late?! " Neji Immediately asks which causes Naruto and Hinata to look at eachother then back to Neji.

Shikamaru puts his hand on Neji's shoulder.

" Calm down dude, you're stressing everyone out. Lets just go inside. " Sakamaru says as they all head inside.

Sakura now standing beside Naruto and Hinata looks down and notices that they are still holding hands.

" Naruto. " She whispers to him.

" What? " Naruto replies.

" Why are you two holding hands? " she questions.

Naruto looks at his hand and realizes he still is holding her hand and begins to get embarrassed. He looks at Sakura with a strange face and says

" It feels, right. " as they walk into the gym for orientation.

The gym is prodigious when you first walk in. There is a regulation basketball court with the schools seal in the middle of the court & bleachers on both sides. They all sit where Kiba has been saving a spot in the bleachers for them.

" What, no thanks? Do you guys know how hard it was to save these seats?! " Kiba said sneering.

" Thanks Kiba. Now shut up and listen " Ino said as they all turned their attention to the woman on the podium in the middle of the court.